Dinara Safina

US Open

September 5, 2008



Q. Good match despite the conditions.

DINARA SAFINA: Good match?


Q. Did you enjoy the match, in spite of the conditions?

DINARA SAFINA: Well, it's tough to enjoy it when it's ‑‑ it was pretty windy today. And somehow ‑‑ I mean, in that center court it's always windy, but today I could not handle the wind. Not too good for from my side, I can say.


Q. You were talking about not being too fit coming into this match, especially your quarters where you had 20% but you had to manage your energy as best as you can. What was the situation today?

DINARA SAFINA: Well, I think today I was feeling ‑‑ I mean, physically I was feeling better than previous days.

This has nothing to do. But just I would say it's too bad from behaving side from my side. Yeah, maybe today was physically and mentally 80, but I spent 60 on being negative on the court, like shooting around and complaining about everything instead of spending 80% totally focused on just point by point.

And this was ‑‑ I think I was behaving like a really spoiled girl on the court today. This I cannot permit myself playing in semifinal of Grand Slam. So I have to really learn from these things if I want to get better.


Q. How would you assess Serena's play today?

DINARA SAFINA: Well, I could see she was a little bit not comfortable in the beginning of the match. I was 2‑Love up with a break, but she behaved like a champion. Maybe some things ‑‑ she also had some wind problems. I guess it was also bothering me. Maybe she was not feeling 100%.

But she was there and she was fighting with me, you know. I was fighting with everything around except her. So I think this is ‑‑ this I can learn really good from her, how to handle these situations instead of just staying quiet and play my game.


Q. Looking back to the summer, how much are you satisfied with your results?

DINARA SAFINA: Well, this has nothing to do with my loss today. I think still it was ‑‑ I think still the year continuing, but it was a great year. I'm just playing day by ‑‑ what I'm saying? That finally that I'm playing my game.

The results that I have, it's actually that I was dreaming of, is about to play a Grand Slam final. Now I'm in semifinal once again. I just now if I want to make like one step in front, I just have to learn to handle my emotions better, to make one step in front.


Q. Do you remember your first match with Serena at the US Open a couple years ago?

DINARA SAFINA: Yes, 6‑Love, 6‑1. I remember. I guess this year I won a little bit more games.


Q. Does this amaze you, Safina, that when you're winning and doing better at big tournaments they refer to Marat as Safina's brother, and when he's doing very well they refer to you as Marat's sister. It becomes a reference point for each other depending on who is playing better.

DINARA SAFINA: Well, I think it's more I'm still his sister than he's my brother, so I think it's still other way around. But it has nothing ‑‑ I'm his sister. I always will be his sister.

To change this I have to get better results, because he has two Grand Slams. He was No. 1 in the world. I still can learn many things from him.

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